Seven popular ghees recently tested have detectable levels of phthalates, according to a new report from Mamavation.
Partnering with EHN.org, Mamavation — an environmental wellness blog and community — had seven ghees, which is a kind of clarified butter, tested by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-certified lab and found levels of phthalates ranging from 105 parts per billion to 2,702 ppb. Three out of the seven brands tested had more than 600 ppb of phthalates.
The results are concerning as phthalates — sometimes at low exposure levels — are linked to hormone disruption, fertility impacts, low birth weights, obesity, diabetes, some cancers, brain and behavioral problems, and other health issues.
“It’s very concerning that all ghees tested had detections of phthalates. This widespread contamination of the food supply needs immediate attention from the companies and federal authorities,” Linda S. Birnbaum, scientist emeritus and former director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program, scholar in residence at Duke University, and adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina and Yale University, told Mamavation.
“More and more research is pointing to the dangers of phthalates at very low levels similar to what is found in this report,” Birnbaum added.
The chemicals are found in plastics, toys, personal care products such as lotions and deodorants, and other products. They’re also increasingly found in foods — Consumer Reports testing earlier this year found phthalates, often in high levels, in sliced peaches, pizza, canned salmon, protein milkshakes, yogurts, fast food burgers, and even organic some foods.
In three seperate investigations this year Mamavation found phthalates in all 13 olive oils tested, all seven coconut oils tested, and 11 avocado oils tested.
While the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission restricts certain phthalates in children’s products, those same phthalates are approved as additives in foods by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In 2022, the FDA rejected two petitions calling for the removal of 28 phthalates from food use and contact.
Mamavation found evidence of phthalates in popular ghee brands including Carrington Farms and Spring Sunrise.
For the full list of which ghees had phthalates, check out the report at Mamavation.
And check out the ongoing effort by Mamavation and EHN.org to identify PFAS in common consumer products. Follow our PFAS testing project with Mamavation at the series landing page.